Our latest press releases on important news and events relating to immigration detention in the United States
For media inquiries contact: media@detentionwatchnetwork.org
Washington, DC — Today, news broke of a hunger strike at the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility in Rhode Island that began on Saturday with approximately 60 people participating, while across the country there are over 60 immigrant women who are on hunger strike at the Northwest Detention Center in Washington state.
Chicago, IL — In response to the news of the first death due to the coronavirus pandemic at the Stateville Correctional Center and over 100 people reported infected at the Cook County Jail, Bárbara Suárez Galeano, Organizing Director of Detention Watch Network offered the following statement.
Bárbara Suárez Galeano, Organizing Director, Detention Watch Network:
Washington, DC — Today, advocates, lawyers, public health experts, and a person formerly detained convened for an urgent briefing on the state of COVID-19 in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facilities, and the immediate need to release people now to protect public health.
Houston, TX — Last week Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) awarded the Houston Processing Center a nearly $50 million contract to keep the for-profit immigration detention facility open for the next decade. The 10-year contract is the first of a three facility solicitation for increased detention capacity in Texas that ICE initiated in November.
Washington, DC — In response to the breaking news that the first person in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody tested positive for coronavirus, Silky Shah, Executive Director of Detention Watch Network, issued the following statement in response:
Washington, DC — Over the weekend Buzzfeed reported the death of a 42-year-old Mexican man in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody at a hospital on Saturday.
Washington, DC — Today, 763 non-governmental organizations sent a letter to Matthew T. Albence, Acting Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), calling for ICE to immediately release all people currently detained in immigration detention, cease all local enforcement operations, and eliminate ICE check-ins and mandatory court appearances.
Washington, DC — The Defund Hate Coalition issued the following statement in response to the Trump administration’s request for massive funding increases for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in response to Covid-19:
Washington, DC — With the rising spread of the coronavirus across the United States, the threat of a deadly outbreak at immigration detention facilities is imminent. Silky Shah, Executive Director of Detention Watch Network, issued the following statement in response:
Youngstown, Ohio — Detention Watch Network is demanding an immediate investigation into the death of David Hernandez Colula, a 34-year-old man from Mexico. Hernandez Colula died on February 20 while in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody after being detained at the Northeast Ohio Correctional Center in Youngstown, Ohio. ICE is reporting his death as an apparent suicide, marking the seventh death in ICE custody during FY2020.
